- Thursday, January 12th, 2012
- by amy
Our series of Supplemental training classes starts up again next week. We are changing the focus from the strength bias we did in the fall to a mix of Olympic lifting and CrossFit Endurance. There will again be four supplemental classes per week - two for Olympic lifting and two for the CFE.
The Olympic lifting classes will be heavily focused on improving your skill, which will in turn improve your PR for the clean & jerk and the snatch. There will also be some accessory work or a short workout to finish the class.
CrossFit Endurance is designed for athletes wanting to improve their overall endurance levels, and those training for marathons, triathalons and the like. CrossFit Endurance works in conjunction with your regular CrossFit workouts, so to get maximum benefit from the classes, you should be keeping up with your CrossFit WODs. Classes will focus on drilling proper running mechanics, rowing form and workouts ranging from intervals to time trials.
The schedule will be updated on the website for next week's classes. Tuesday 5:30 am & Saturday 8:00 am will be the Olympic classes; Thursday 5:30 pm & Friday noon are the CFE classes. Cost will vary by membership level. See one of your coaches. First class is free to try it out. These supplemental classes are also open to non-members, so if you have a friend who wants to improve their race results, or get better at the Oly lifts, send them our way!!
- Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
- by amy
This is a great blog post from Phil Mancini of CrossFit Genesis in Roseville, CA.
Embarking on a new path can be intimidating, especially for the first time. A simple way to ease the fear is to remind yourself why you’re taking the journey in the first place, and to commit yourself to not getting lost along the way and winding up back at your starting point.
That’s not to say that there won’t be some scary moments. New paths offer new challenges and obstacles that we’ve never seen or experienced before. But that’s the point. Without overcoming obstacles and pushing ourselves, we’ll never progress and become our best self.
The good news is that the scary part of CrossFit lasts around 10 minutes. The workouts are short AND intense, and we’re uniquely designed to handle this type of physical activity. Being scared is fine, we all get butterflies from time to time. But that message is telling us that we’re about to CONQUER something scary, and the rewards of that can’t be measured by a workout time.
- Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
- by amy
60 Day Challenge - Day 57 - ALMOST FINISHED!
So, what's for dinner?
Last night we had a yummy meat loaf that was super easy to make, topped with a homemade tomato sauce. Add to it some steamed green beans that were sauteed in some fat with lime juice and cilantro, and some sliced orange sweet pepper, and you've got yourself a yummy meal! Of course I forgot to take a picture, but here's the one from the website where I found the meat loaf recipe.
I talked to two athletes today who have not only gone gluten free this month, but are going strict paleo. One has lost 10 pounds, and the other 5. WOW!! It's amazing what cleaning up and training hard will do for you! Don't be a hater or doubter, just join in on the fun and see great results!
Super yummy, super easy!
- Monday, January 9th, 2012
- by amy
We've been fielding a lot of questions lately about going gluten free, and how many people are feeling bad/week/lacking energy. While weight loss/gain/management isn't always influenced by calories in/calories out, you need to keep up your caloric intake to sustain your level of activity.
If you're cutting out a big portion of your diet (bread, pasta, tortillas, etc), you need to replace those calories. If you don't, you're not going to feel very good, and you'll perform even worse! What do you replace that gluten with? Why veggies, of course! You might also want to consider increasing your fat intake. Both fat and carbohydrates are fuel sources for your body. Keep up those levels to feel good and full of energy!
Totaling scores after the a big team wod!
- Friday, January 6th, 2012
- by Carol
60 Day Challenge - Day 53
Yoga Dude gave us this recipe over the holidays - these burgers are outstanding and easy to make! Tweak the recipe to suit your tastes.
Jalapeno Burgers:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
4 small jalapenos, seeded and chopped finely
1 shallot, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
Salt/pepper to taste
Cooked strips of bacon for a topper
Head of purple cabbage - peel off large leaves and steam - these are the "buns" for the burgers.
Mix all of the ingredients together and form burgers. We grilled ours but you could cook them on the stovetop. I also mixed up a green salad with balsamic vinegar and put the salad on top of the burgers...delicious!
Yep - that is bacon on top!
- Thursday, January 5th, 2012
- by amy
60 Day Challenge - Day 52
We're 5 days in to the Gluten Free January Challenge. How is it going for you? Are you struggling with anything? Getting cravings for some of the things you used to eat on a regular basis? Have you caved in to any of those cravings in a weak moment?
Remember the KISS principle - keep things simple stupid! Don't overcomplicate things. Eat a quality protein at each meal, and fill the rest in with veggies. That's all there is to it. Also, we do have our FaceBook page for the challenge - don't be afraid to use it to ask questions, or as an accountability tool.
We are looking in to carrying some new products at the gym. VitaCoco is a yummy coconut beverage that's a great post workout beverage. We stumbled upon Nicole's Nutty Goodness while traveling down to South Carolina. It's a bar that's similar to Lara Bars, but are completely vegan, raw, and about 90% organic. And when we can get our hands on a freezer, we'll be carrying local, grass fed ground beef from Griffin Farms! Yummy!
Also, starting today, we're going to be raising the price on the eggs to $4.50/dozen.
- Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
- by amy
... And what are you going to do about it?
While this is completely anecdotal, I haven't had a flu shot since 1994, and I haven't had the flu since 1999. Since "cleaning" up my diet in 2007, I have had very few colds. Neil is rarely sick, and he's never had a flu shot. The girls do get sick every now and then, but they don't get the Mac Daddy illness that so many kids get. Martha did get what I figured was the swine flu a couple of years ago, but thankfully, she's none the worse for wear!
Eat clean, and your immune system will get stronger. My personal opinion is that if you limit pain reliever/fever reducer use in yourself, and more importantly, in your kids, you/they will be healthier overall.
Here's an interesting article from Dr. Joseph Mercola about flu vaccinations. I realize that Mercola is somewhat controversial, however he does bring up some good points that are worth digesting.
I want you to be educated, thinking adults with regards to your health and fitness. Exercise and nutrition are obvious aspects of that. There are other aspects that need to be considered. Just sayin'.
When you do notice any congestion at the onset of an illness, your best bet is to eliminate all sugar and dairy. Both bacteria and viruses (or vira if you're a Latin geek) feed upon sugar, therefore you should limit their food source. Dairy is a known mucus thickener, and you certainly don't want your mucus more thick than it needs to be while ill!
Here are a couple of other links that promote healthy flu treatment. Give it a whirl ... what have you got to lose?
- Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
- by amy
Here's our Bad Weather Policy: If the roads look bad, class will be canceled. We can't go by Montgomery County as they close for super cold temperatures, and snow in Elliston, for example. Use your head! If we know that there is snow forecasted, we'll do our best to post on the website what's going on. Thanks for your patience and understanding!
This is a great post from Lisbeth Darsh, CrossFit coach, former affiliate owner, and affiliate coordinator for CrossFit HQ.
P90X vs. CrossFit: The Debate Simplified
5 Reasons I Should Be Doing P90X instead of CrossFit:
1.) It’s a cheaper program.
2.) I would do it all alone.
3.) When I fail, no one would know and I could just carry on like I was never really trying anyhow.
4.) I would be working out in my living room.
5.) It’s “risk-free for 90 days!”
5 Reasons Why I Should Not Be Doing P90X Instead of CrossFit
1.) It’s a cheaper program.
2.) I would do it all alone.
3.) When I fail, no one would know and I could just carry on like I was never really trying anyhow.
4.) I would be working out in my living room.
5.) It’s “risk-free for 90 days!”
A Christmas Party with your living room workout buddies just isn't the same!
- Sunday, January 1st, 2012
- by neil
Happy New Year to all of our CrossFit Friends! Thanks for making 2011 such a great year at CrossFit Blacksburg. 2012 promises to be even bigger and better. Get ready for some special events and challenges through out the year - starting today! The first challenge of the year is Gluten Free January. Nothing complicated, just eliminate gluten from your diet. Follow along on our Facebook page, and share your experiences! Need some ideas for meals? Check out our recipe page.
Reminder - Monday January 2nd there will only be a 9 AM class! The regular schedule resumes Tuesday January 3rd at 6:30 AM.
- Friday, December 23rd, 2011
- by Carol
Holiday Challenge - Day 39 and Go Gluten-Free for January! It's super-easy! Shoot me an email if you need help or recipes...
Wishing all of you the happiest of holidays and a prosperous and better you 2012! We'll see you bright and early on January 2, 2012!
Melissa Joulwan hosts the blog, The Clothes Make The Girl, where you can find all sorts of great recipes and inspiration...Check it out! Here is her recipe for her yummy chili...
Mel’s Favorite Chili:
Ingredients:
the base:
2 tablespoons of your favorite fat: olive oil, coconut oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 lbs. ground meat (lean beef, pork, turkey, veal, bison, or a mix)
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spices:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
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liquids:
14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes (I like Muir Glen fire-roasted.)
6 oz. tomato paste
14.5 oz. can beef broth
12 oz. water
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute ’til soft. Add garlic and let heat ’til fragrant, about 2 minutes. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Add the meat and sauté until browned and crumbled.
2. Blend all the spices in a small bowl. Add to pot and stir well, about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and water to the pot. Stir well.
4. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low so the pot has a gentle simmer. SIMMER FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. Do not skimp on the simmer. Just as rest time is the magic time when you build your strength, simmering is the magic time when the flavors meld.
Variations:
Add additional quality fats with some chopped black olives, green olives, or avocado slices (or all three!).
Add more veggies by serving over a bed of cooked spaghetti squash, grated zucchini, or baby spinach leaves.
